Cable support



United States Patent 3,288,408 CABLE SUPPORT George M. Acker, 1545 Midvale Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Jan. 26, 1966, Ser. N0. 523,091 Claims. (Cl. 24861) This invention relates in general to an apparatus for supporting electrical cables, insulated wires, television antenna leads, or the like, adjacent an end thereof without interrupting the continuity of the cable so as to allow the cable ends to be fastened to non-load bearing connections. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cable support apparatus particularly useful for frictionally grasping or holding a television antenna wire, or insulated electrical cable, adjacent the end thereof fastened to an electrical connector in order to hold the antenna cable in a desired position while relieving the electrical connection of any loading which might otherwise be exerted thereon due to the cable weight or tensions exerted therein due to forces acting on the cable.

6 In many locations where television reception is poor, community or central television antenna systems are used to receive, amplify and transmit the television signals by feeder lines to individual users. Also, co-axial cable transmission of television signals over long distances is becoming more common. In these situations, an antenna cable or lead comprising electrically conductive wires surrounded by insulation material is run from the individual users television set to the co-axial cable or community television antenna feeder lines. An electrical connection is effected between the individual users television antenna or lead and the co-axial cable or feeder line by using electrical connectors commonly termed pressure taps. If the weight of the cable or tensions therein due to the forces of wind, ice or snow on the cable are allowed to act on and load such electrical connections, the connection may be loosened, interrupting television reception, or even broken. Also, the metal antenna wire ends may fatigue over periods of use, causing strands of the wire to break and gradually reduce the ability of the antenna wire to transmit the television signals to the users television set until complete failure ends such transmission.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus for supporting the television antenna lead, insulated electrical cable, or the like, adjacent an end thereof which is to be fastened to an electrical connection in order to relieve such connection of the load and forces which might otherwise be acting thereon due to the lead or cable weight, tension forces therein or any other forces tending to break or disrupt the electrical connection.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose and provide a television antenna lead of electrical cable support apparatus which frictionally grasps or holds the cable adjacent an end thereof without interrupting the lead or cable continuity, without requiring sharp bends or knotting thereof and without producing high clamping or pinching forces in any given portion of the cable which might tend to reduce the effectiveness thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus for use with electrical cables, insulated wires, television antenna leads, or the like, to relieve electrical connections therewith of forces otherwise acting thereon due to the weight of or tensions in the cable which includes a head portion for mounting the apparatus, a body portion for frictionally grasping the cable and guide means for directing and holding portions of the cable on the apparatus without clamping or pinching the cable in a manner which might destroy its insulated coating.

It is a further object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus as in the foregoing object 3,238,498 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 wherein the cable may be easily wound or entrained upon the apparatus by moving portions of the cable laterally of the apparatus in a continuous, easily accomplished winding action.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus as in the foregoing objects wherein sections of the apparatus body are provided in a zigzag manner or series of sections to allow ease of winding or assembly of the antenna lead or electrical cable thereon and wherein guide means are provided at either end of the apparatus body for holding the cable from sliding off of the apparatus body without clamping or pinching the antenna lead or cable between opposed clamping surfaces.

It is also an object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus for use in frictionally holding a cable, or the like, adjacent an end thereof connected to an electrical connection, or the like, which includes mounting means for positioning the apparatus adjacent a location of use and wherein a body portion of the apparatus frictionally holds the cable by entraining the cable through a zigzag series of alternately opposite facing convex surfaces over which the cable is passed so that any cable weight or tension which tends to draw the cable longitudinally through the body portion increases the frictional forces holding the cable to the apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to disclose and provide an apparatus as in the foregoing object wherein means are provided for allowing an easy, simple way of winding or entraining the cable on the apparatus in a continuous manner without disturbing an adjacent free end of the cable which may be connected to an electrical connector.

These and various other objects as well as the advantages of the apparatus for supporting an antenna lead or electrical cable adjacent an end thereof connected to a non-load bearing electrical connection, according to the present invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed explanation of an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention. In the following detailed explanation, reference will be made to the appended sheet of drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cable support apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a section view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 taken therein along the plane IVIV.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a community television antenna system feeder line 10, or the like, is shown supported on a guy wire or suspension cable 11 by the wire 12 wound thereabout. An antenna lead or insulated electrical cable 12 is shown connected to the antenna feeder line It) by a pressure tap or electrical connector 13. Lead or cable 12 may be run to the individual users television set or similar electrical appliance which is sought to be connected into a coaxial cable or feeder line 10. The line 10 is generally coated with an aluminum sheaf through which the pressure tap or connector 13 operates.

A clamp 14, fastened by tightening the nut 15 on the flat-headed bolt 16, is provided to hold the pressure tap or connector 13 to the suspension cable 11 and feeder line 10 in a conventional manner, as shown in FIG. 1.

An exemplary embodiment of the cable support apparatus, indicated generally at 20, includes a head portion indicated generally at 30 and a body portion indicated generally at 40. The exemplary embodiment is also provided with a first guide means on the body portion,-indicated generally at 50, adjacent the head portion and a second guide means, indicated generally at 60, at the tail end of the body portion.

The head portion, indicated generally at 30, may be employed for mounting the apparatus, indicated generally at 20, by the head portion at a location of use adjacent an electrical connection, such as tap or connector 13, connecting the antenna lead or cable 12 to be supported by the apparatus with the feeder line or cable 10. In the exemplary embodiment, such head portion comprises a U-shape portion 31 including a bight 32 and spaced legs 33 and 34 joining the body portion indicated generally at 40. Portions 35 and 36 of the legs 33 and 34, respectively, may be twisted or rotated 90 relative to the portions adjacent bight 32 in order to increase the stiffness of the head portion 31. As seen in FIG. 1, the exemplary head portion 31 may be fitted on the clamp 14 beneath the flat head of bolt 16 to be supported to the guy wire or support cable 11 by clamp 14 adjacent the electrical connection efiected between connector or tap 13 and the feeder line or co-axial cable 10.

The body portion, indicated generally at 40, includes means for holding the antenna lead or cable 12 on the apparatus by friction forces generated between the cable and portions of the body. Such means for holding the cable on the body portion, in the exemplary embodiment, includes a plurality of body sections 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 arranged in a zigzag series and lying generally in a single body plane, as best seen in FIG. 3. Adjacent body sections are convergent and present alternately opposite facing convex surfaces 41, 42', 43, 44 and 45. In the exemplary embodiment, sections 41, 43 and 45 are parallel to each other while sections 42 and 44 are parallel to each other. As best seen in FIG. 3, the adjacent, alternately opposite facing convex surfaces 41 through 45 are spaced relative to each other in a direction perpendicular (vertical in FIG. 3) to the longitudinal extent of said series of sections. Such spacing causes the cable, indicated in dotted line at 12', to bend about the sections in a generally vertical plane through the body portion to entrain and promote a frictional fit between the cable and sections.

A plurality of cable entries are provided in the body portion, indicated generally at 20, to facilitate the lateral entry of portions of the cable onto the body sections 41 through 45. In the exemplary embodiment, the convergent body sections 41 and 42 provide a first cable entry, indicated generally at 21; the convergent body sections 42 and 43 provide a cable entry, indicated generally at 22; convergent body sections 43 and 44 provide a cable entry, indicated generally at 23; and convergent body sections 44 and 45 provide a cable entry, indicated generally at 24. These exemplary cable entries, indicated generally at 21 through 24, allow easy winding or entraining of the antenna lead or cable, indicated in dotted line at 12 in FIG. 2, about the zigzag series of sections 41 through 45 without interrupting the continuity of the cable and without having to sharply bend, clamp or inch portions of the cable which might cause damage there-to. As shown in the exemplary embodiment, the convex surfaces 41 through 45' may be scored or knurled to provide a rough surface with an increased coefficient of friction. Any forces tending to pull cable 12 through the body portion of the cable support apparatus, such as the weight of the cable or forces due to wind, ice or snow acting thereon, will tend to more tightly wedge or frictionally grasp and hold the cable within the body portion. As seen in FIG. 3, any tendency to straighten cable 12 increases the compression forces between the cable and the convex surfaces of the body sections 41 through 45 increasing the frictional forces therebetween preventing the pulling of the cable through the apparatus.

A first guide means is provided on the body portion, indicated generally at 40, adjacent the head portion, indicated generally at 30, for guiding the cable or antenna lead 12 onto the body portion in a direction axially parallel to the body portion. In the exemplary embodiment, such first guide means indicated generally at 50, comprises a concave integral portion 51 of the body portion under which portions of the cable 12 are guided. A side opening entry slot, indicated generally at 52 is provided in the exemplary embodiment to allow the lateral movement of the cable 12 onto the body portion adjacent such first guide means into a position under and partially in the concave portion 51. A finger 53 on the body portion defines, with the opposed section 41, the sides of the slot, indicated generally at 52. The concave section 51 not only guides the cable or antenna lead onto the series of sections 41 through 45 from a position adjacent the head portion but also serves to hold the cable from lateral sideways sliding movement out of the slot, indicated generally at 52, and off of the adjacent section 41.

A second guide means may be provided at the tail end of the body portion, opposite to the head portion indicated generally at 30, for guiding the cable onto the body portion at the end opposite the aforedescribed first guide means. In the exemplary embodiment, such second guide means at the tail end of the body portion comprises a concave portion 61 formed integrally of the body portion. Concave portion 61 extends laterally from a longitudinally extending portion 62 of the body portion and together with a flange or finger element 63, forms a side opening entry slot, indicated generally at 64. Such side opening entry slot, between the flange 63, concave section 61 and adjacent body section 45 allows the lateral movement of the cable onto the tail end of the body portion over section 45 and under the concave guide means portion 61. As in the first exemplary guide means, the concave portion 61 not only serves to guide the cable onto the body portion but also holds the cable against inadvertent lateral or sideways movement which might cause the cable to be released from the adjacent body section 45 and its convex friction surface 45.

From the foregoing detailed explanation of an exemplary embodiment of the cable support apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, it can be seen that the foregoing objects and various advantages sought have been attained. The individual television or electrical appliance users lead or cable 12 may be easily and quickly entwined, entrained or wound onto the body sections 41 through 45 by moving portions of the cable laterally of the body portion into the cable entries, indicated generally at 21 through 24, and successively over and under the zigzag series of friction surfaces 41 through 45'. The cable 12 may also be easily placed under the first and second guide means due to the provision of the side opening slots, indicated generally at 32 and 64. The winding or entraining of cable 12 upon the apparatus body portion may be accomplished before or after the cable 12 is fastened to the pressure tap or connector 13 since the cable 12 is not threaded through any limited size openings in the apparatus. The cable support apparatus, according to the present invention, relieves the connection between the cable 12 and feeder line 10, cffected by the connector or pressure tap 13, from any loading or forces which might otherwise be acting thereon due to the cable weight or other forces acting thereon which might tend to separate the connector or tap 13 from the feeder line 10.

Having thus disclosed an exemplary embodiment of the cable support apparatus of the present invention, it should be understood that various modifications, alteration and adaptations of the present apparatus as disclosed herein may be made which come within the scope of the present invention, which is defined and limited only by the following claims:

I claim:

I. An apparatus for use with electrical cables, insulated wires, television antenna leads, or the like, to relieve electrical connections therewith of forces otherwise acting thereon due to the weight of or tensions in the cable, or the like, said apparatus comprising:

a head portion and means for mounting said apparatus by said head portion at a location of use adjacent an electrical connection with the cable to be supported by said apparatus;

a body portion including means for holding said cable thereon by friction forces generated between said cable and body portion;

a first guide means on said body portion adjacent said head portion for guiding said cable onto said body portion in a direction axially parallel to said body portion; and

a second guide means at a tail end of said body portion for guiding said cable onto said body portion in a direction axially parallel to said body portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said first and second guide means each comprise a concave integral portion of said body portion and are provided with side opening entry slots in said body portion to allow positioning portions of said cable in said first and second guide means by sliding said cable portions laterally of said body portion and under said concave portions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for holding said cable on said body portion by friction forces therebetween comprises:

a plurality of sections arranged in a zigzag manner to provide alternately opposite opening cable entryways to allow winding of said cable through said body portion alternately over and under said sections between said guide means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

adjacent sections of said plurality of sections are convergent and include oppositely facing convex surfaces to bear against said cable.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

at least one or more of said convex surfaces are provided with means for increasing the surface coefficient of friction.

6. An apparatus for use in frictionally holding a cable, or the like, adjacent an end thereof connected to an electrical connection, or the like, comprising:

mounting means for positioning and holding said apparatus in fixed relation to a location of use at which an electrical connection is to be effected between an electrical insulated cable and other electrical means; and

a body portion including means for entraining and frictionally holding said cable to said body portion, said last named mean including a plurality of body sections arranged in a zigzag series lying generally in a single body plane and presenting alternately opposite facing convex surfaces over which said cable is passed to be entrained and frictio-nally held on said body due to friction forces occurring between said cable and surfaces, said forces being increased when cable weight or tension tends to draw said cable longitudinally through said body portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

each of said body sections is convergent with adjacent sections to provide a plurality of oppositely opening cable entries in said body portion to allow lateral entry of portions of said cable onto said body portions for entraining said cable on said body portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

said alternately opposite facing convex surfaces of said body sections are spaced relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said series of sections to cause said cable to bend about saidsections in a generally vertical plane through said body portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

guide means are provided at a free end of said body portion for guiding said cable in a direction axially parallel to said body portion and for holding said cable against lateral movement relative to said body sections adjacent said free end.

1d. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

a second guide means are provided in said body portion adjacent said mounting means for guiding said cable in a direction axially parallel to said body portion and for holding said cable against lateral movement relative to said body sections adjacent said mounting means, and

side opening entry slots are provided in said body portion at each of said guide means to allow entraining of said cable into each said guide means by moving portions of said cable laterally of said body portion and into engagement therewith.

No references cited.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR USE WITH ELECTRICAL CABLES, INSULATED WIRES, TELEVISION ANTENNA LEADS, OR THE LIKE, TO RELIEVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS THEREWITH OF FORCES OTHERWISE ACTING THEREON DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF OR TENSIONS IN THE CABLE, OR THE LIKE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A HEAD PORTION AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID APPARATUS BY SAID HEAD PORTION AT A LOCATION OF USE ADJACENT AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH THE CABLE TO BE SUPPORTED BY SAID APPARATUS; A BODY PORTION INCLUDING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID CABLE THEREON BY FRICTION FORCED GENERATED BETWEEN SAID CABLE AND BODY PORTION; A FIRST GUIDE MEANS ON SAID BODY PORTION ADJACENT SAID HEAD PORTION FOR GUIDING SAID CABLE ONTO SAID BODY PORTION IN A DIRECTION AXIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BODY PORTION; AND A SECOND GUIDE MEANS AT A TAIL END OF SAID BODY PORTION FOR GUIDING SAID CABLE ONTO SAID BODY PORTION IN A DIRECTION AXIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BODY PORTION. 